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Sean's NASCAR DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel for the Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (2026). His top NASCAR daily fantasy lineup plays and DFS sleepers.
Continuing with his strong start, Tyler Reddick won last week's race at Kansas Speedway for his fifth win of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. The 23XI Racing driver continues to lead the standings at the Cup Series now visits one of its most unpredictable and biggest oval tracks at Talladega Superspeedway. Below are my NASCAR DFS lineup picks for the Jack Link's 500 on DraftKings and FanDuel this week. This slate locks on 4/26/2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST. If you have further questions or want to discuss racing, you can find me on X at @SeanE247.
The NASCAR Cup Series is hosting its third different drafting track race of the season at Talladega. This track in Alabama is 2.66 miles long and is known as one of the largest oval tracks on the schedule. Talladega is also characterized by its "pack racing," where drivers use drafting to maintain speed and keep up with one another, often racing in larger packs. A track like Talladega is considered an equalizer as a result and allows drivers who may not normally be competitive at other track types to have a chance at a great finish or even a victory under the right circumstances.
Talladega is one of the most difficult tracks to find success on in DFS, as it is among the more unpredictable tracks. Races at Talladega tend to feature some of the Series' largest crashes, sometimes nicknamed "big ones," that can take out whole portions of the field in a matter of seconds. As a result, it is recommended to highly diversify lineups with different driver combinations in order to have lineups remain in contention to cash out and cover against these crashes. Other than that, Place Differential based on starting positions is important to factor in lineup construction as well, since crashes and driver moves for position can easily affect scoring for this week's race.
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DFS Lineup Picks - DraftKings, FanDuel
Once you've read this article, be sure also to check out all of our other weekly NASCAR DFS articles to help you set your optimal DFS lineups. You should also check out our NASCAR DFS lineup tools for the ultimate combination of DFS resources to help you win big, including our Lineup Optimizer, DFS Cheat Sheet, Research Station, and more.
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Disclaimer: All the drivers presented as picks for this week's race are meant to be some of my top DFS recommendations of the week. They are not originally intended to fit all into one lineup.
Ryan Blaney
Starts 15th - DK: $10.2K, FD: $14K
If there's one team that typically brings enough speed to have its drivers find their way to the front at a drafting track, it's Team Penske. Ryan Blaney, in particular, is the most recent winner at a drafting track, winning the second race at Daytona during the Summer last year, while he also led in the last four drafting track races.
SEVEN THOUSANDTHS OF A SECOND.
Want to watch that incredible finish again and again? pic.twitter.com/EyQT9yBTSH
— NASCAR on USA (@NASCARonUSA) June 23, 2020
In 23 Cup starts at Talladega, Blaney has three wins, eight top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 17.1. He also led in seven of the last eight Talladega Cup events and has four finishes of 11th or better in that span. Since the arrival of the Next-Gen car in 2022, Blaney is one of only a couple of drivers with multiple wins at drafting tracks.
Blaney's start position is midway through the pack and just barely inside the top 15. Unlike most drivers in the top-priced range, who will be starting in the top 10 thanks to the starting lineup being set by the NASCAR rulebook, he has some decent upside and will certainly be a factor for the win.
Joey Logano
Starts 25th - DK: $10K, FD: $13.5K
Another Penske driver who is worth consideration for DFS lineups for this week's race is Joey Logano. The No. 22 Ford driver historically is one of the most successful drivers in the field in terms of victories (six) and leading laps (1,535) at drafting tracks. Despite generally running well, he does sometimes struggle to finish and gets involved in crashes, however.
Bubba Wallace’s view of Joey Logano’s wild ride at Talladega is one we’ll never forget. 👀 pic.twitter.com/cnh1GbZcOQ
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 25, 2026
In 34 Cup starts at Talladega, Logano has three wins, 11 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 19.4. Logano's 568 laps led is the most of active drivers, and he led at least once in six consecutive races at the site. When looking at drafting tracks as a whole, Logano led at least once in 20 consecutive races, which is a current NASCAR record in the Cup Series.
Traditionally, Logano tends to be one of the top qualifiers inside the top 10 at drafting tracks, but with qualifying rained out, his starting position is deep in the field and is the only top-priced driver starting outside the top 20. Although he has a history of struggling to finish races in recent years at drafting tracks, he did score a top-5 in the Daytona 500 this year and has plenty of upside this week.
Ross Chastain
Starts 24th - DK: $8.1K, FD: $7K
Trackhouse Racing has largely struggled for most of the season with a lack of speed in their cars, but Talladega represents a chance for their drivers to have a good week, including Ross Chastain. After all, Chastain's best finish of the season and his only top-10 for the year so far was at Atlanta, another drafting track (third).
In 14 Cup races at Talladega, Chastain has one win and seven top-20 finishes with an average finish of 20.5. Since 2022, Chastain has had five top-20 finishes at Talladega and led in seven of the eight total Cup events in that span. He also gained positive PD six times since 2022 as well.
"I feel optimistic walking into the track every weekend." @RossChastain is not bothered by Trackhouse Racing's recent performance and comes into the track every weekend optimistic.
Presenting Partner: @MyPlaceHotels pic.twitter.com/YkRxK4UfbO
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) April 25, 2026
Chastain's starting position for this week's race is in the back half of the pack after qualifying was canceled. The No. 1 Chevrolet driver has solid upside based on his starting position, and his overall history indicates that he is likely to place inside the top 15 or better. Fantasy players should not overlook Chastain for Talladega this week.
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Starts 22nd - DK: $7.5K, FD: $5.5K
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is one of those drivers who is not usually competitive at most other tracks, but at a drafting track, he is one to watch. All four of Stenhouse's wins in his Cup career have come at drafting tracks, including the 2023 Daytona 500.
In 25 Cup starts at Talladega, Stenhouse has two wins, 16 top-20 finishes, and an average finish of 15.4, which ranks fourth-best of all active Cup drivers. Stenhouse finished in the top 15 in four of the last six Cup events at Talladega, and he was also the runner-up in this year's Daytona 500.
Last year, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said that changing the stages at superspeedways wouldn't necessarily stop the fuel saving. I just asked for an updated opinion after NASCAR announced changes for Talladega's stages. Here is what he said:
"I think I'll probably still save fuel,…— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) April 10, 2026
Stenhouse will start outside of the top 20 this week, giving him favorable upside at one of his best tracks. Although his results have been boom-or-bust at times at Talladega, he is one of the better overall drivers statistically at the track and should be considered for all DFS formats this week.
Zane Smith
Starts 30th - DK: $6.2K, FD: $6.5K
There is no shortage of appealing DFS options in the value tier for this week. In fact, the drivers picked in the lower tiers could end up being the biggest difference-makers of the week and become potentially high scorers, such as Zane Smith of Front Row Motorsports. Some may also forget that he was two turns away from being called this year's Daytona 500 champion before falling to sixth.
In five Cup Series races at Talladega, Smith has two top-20 finishes. He did score his best career finish at the site in his last start at the site last Fall (ninth). Smith also obtained positive PD in three of his last four appearances at Talladega and has been remarkable in recent drafting track races. The No. 38 Ford driver has six top-20s in his last seven drafting track races, including four top-10 finishes in that span.
Smith will be starting towards the back of the pack after qualifying had set his starting position at the tail end of the top 30. However, he is in equipment that is capable of competing for a top-10 finish, making him a driver that should not be underestimated, especially with how well he has been running at drafting tracks recently.
Jesse Love
Starts 37th - DK: $5.8K, FD: $4K
The defending O'Reilly Series champion is making his second Cup Series start this week at Talladega. This will be his first race in the Cup Series at a drafting track, but he has been highly successful at this track type in the O'Reilly Series.
In five starts at Talladega in the O'Reilly Series, Love has one win and five top-10 finishes with an average finish of 5.4. Love also led multiple laps in all of his appearances at the site, and his 162 laps led since 2024 are the most of all drivers.
Jesse Love on where NOAPS Talladega got away from him pic.twitter.com/3EbLeuPxwB
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) April 25, 2026
Love is in a third entry for Richard Childress Racing, a team that historically brings faster cars than the average team at drafting tracks. With his starting position being towards the rear of the field, he has plenty of upside that makes him worth rostering for this week's race despite his lack of Cup experience at this track.
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